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VISConti project

Viability Innovation Scientific Creativity oriented network

for training and instruction

2014-1-NO01-KA202-000438

Document ref : O1 : 01

Project work assessment spectrum

Study / analysis intended to create a panoramic view of the methods

of project assessment in VET related to science subjects and IT.

The European Commission support for the production of this publication

does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the

views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible

for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

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The information contained in this document was collated by the VISConti

project following input from the following organizations

Centro Integrado Público de Formación Profesional Misericordia,

Valencia

Colegiul Tehnic "Gheorghe Asachi", Botosani

Colegiul Naț ional "Ecaterina Teodoroiu", Targu Jiu

ISOV Vocational Tecnical Anatolian High School, Istanbul

Polo Europeo della Conoscenza - I.C. Lorenzi, Verona

Uşak University, Uşak

Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących w Suchej Beskidzkiej, Sucha

Beskidzka

Stucom Centre d’Etudis, Barcelona

Colegiul Tehnic "LETEA", Bacau

Vocational upper secondary school of Axioupolis, Axioupoli

Istituto di Istruzione Superiore Liceo "Bocchi-Galilei" di Adria, Adria

Norwegian University of Technology and Science, Trondheim

Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST), Paola

Akdeniz University Vocational School of Technical Sciences, Antalya

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Index :

A. About this document

B. About VISConti project

C. Tools used for collating information

D. Analysis of results per partner organization

E. General analysis

F. Use of this document

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A. About this document

This document is one of the outputs of the VISConti project. It is the first of

a number of products that the VISConti project will produce during its

lifetime and that serve several purposes.

The purpose of this document is to produce a pan European panorama of

the practices and tools used by VET schools to assess the project work of

students studying science related subjects and IT. It enables the partner

organizations that contributed to its content to be aware of practices in

other countries, and outlines the areas covered by the VISConti project in

order to provide better quality education in Vocational Education and

Training.

B. About the VISConti project

The VISConti project is funded by the European Commission under the

Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

funding programme.

It is a 24-month project during which 16 partner organisations from

multiple countries under the leadership of NORGES TEKNISK-

NATURVITENSKAPELIGE UNIVERSITET (NTNU) of Trondheim, Norway

will work together in the field of Vocational Education and Training. Citing

the corporate summary of the VISConti project:

“It is a partnership that has come together to create a virtual working

space for structured interaction between students and teachers of science

related subjects and IT and science professionals from industry.

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The project will develop and test web based tools for the assessment of

projects by students in VET that will then be developed into a tool for use

in a community of practice for creativity in science and IT, both in

education and in industry. VISConti will introduce a new approach and a

new methodology for the generation and presentation of ideas or projects.

It will generate tools that teachers will use to assess technical viability,

economic potential and scientific creativity in project ideas as a new model

for assessment.

VISConti will create a community of practice in which students, teachers

and professionals with a career in science or IT build their own

professional profile and work their way towards better employability and

possibly opportunities for mobility through a structured exercise in sharing

ideas and soliciting or offering peer assessment on creativity and viability

of ideas in science and technology. Members in the VISConti Community

of Practice look at each other's projects from the aspects of technical

viability, economic potential and scientific creativity using standard tools

that will be available for the members of the community.

Assessment tools will be designed after research in the field within the

network of partners of VISConti and it will cover several areas and

territories in order that methodologies can be adopted and adapted to the

precise needs of the target group. The technological platform will facilitate

the use of the tools and interaction in the VISConti Community of Practice

will be developed in a collaborative manner between a VET school and an

IT company in a perfect example of the kinds of collaborations that

VISConti will create between schools and industry.

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The partners will benefit from training by experts from education and

industry in two training events that will provide them with the right

orientation towards creativity and viability aspects of ideas in science and

technology. They will acquire knowledge about different approaches and

views of creativity and viability and about the assessment and rating

thereof. They will learn about the criteria and right conditions for

successful communities of practice like the one they will take part in

created by VISConti.

There will be three major multiplier events in which VISConti will be

brought to the education community in VET and to players in industry

besides the partnership wide effort to augment membership of quality in

the network and in the VISConti Community of Practice. The events will be

organized through the intervention of partners in the network that will

ensure a successful synergy and partnership between VET and industry

through joint activities in creativity in science, technology and IT.”

C. Tools used for collating information

The VISConti project surveyed project work in VET to obtain a panorama

of approaches taken in various countries, including EU countries

represented in the partnership and Turkey. In doing so, we looked for

information on assessment criteria currently used for student projects. The

main interest was in projects involving science, technology, engineering,

mathematics and IT. The survey also covered teacher training for project

assessment, if any, and whether teachers receive such training either in

their initial teacher education / training or subsequently through

professional development activities. The results of these questionnaires

will be used by VISConti to showcase practices that will be published on

its portal.

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This was a network wide activity in which all partner organisations had the

task of collecting information and submitting it in template format as per

online tools that were generated ad hoc. Tasks included collation of

information on training, assessment; project work mentoring and examples

of good practice in order that the partnership generated an EU wide

picture and included experiences of schools from outside the network. All

the partners involved were themselves VET schools or other players in

education. They made submissions of answers and feedback using the

on-line tools produced in the previous activity. Content was vetted and

corrections solicited by Akdeniz University as leader of this activity.

NTNU and VisMedNet played supportive roles and collated information

from countries / regions not covered by the partnership.

14 partners including Centro Integrado Público de Formación Profesional

Misericordia, Colegiul Tehnic Gheorghe Asachi Botosani, Colegiul

National "Ecaterina Teodoroiu", Istanbul Il Milli Egitim Mudurlugu,Istituto

Comprensivo Lorenzi Fumane, Polo Europeo della Conoscenza from Italy,

University of Usak, Zespol Szkol Ogolnoksztalcacych w Suchej

Beskidzkiej, Stucom SA, Colegiul Tehnic "LETEA" Bacau, 1o

EPAGGELMATIKO LYKEIO AXIOUPOLIS, Istituto di Istruzione Superiore

Liceo "Bocchi-Galilei" di Adria Europole, Norwegian University of

Technology and Science, Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology

(MCAST), and Akdeniz University Vocational School of Technical

Sciences filled out the online tool.

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D. Analysis of results per partner organization

1. Centro Integrado Público de Formación Profesional Misericordia

from Spain

In this vocational school, students’ projects are used, both as final projects and

projects "within" subjects. Students’ project work is subject to assessment.

Projects are used both as final assessment at the end of the year and as a

part of term homework.

The school has a standard form and criteria for assessment of projects. It has

a template, a tool for assessment of projects, and legal procedures. The

school management and teachers created the criteria and legal procedures

collectively. Assessment covers aspects of project work such as planning,

background research, method, data collation and analysis, written

presentation, and oral presentation. The teacher who assigns the project work

to the students, and a panel of other teachers, carry out the assessment of

students' project work.

Students are aware of the standards and criteria. They have a template for

presentation of project work that includes the assessment criteria, which are

also communicated to the students by the teacher. Individual students or

groups of students can present project work.

University of Valencia, Faculty of Economics has a competition for business

plans in VET. University of Castellón has the same competition.

Teachers receive training in project work and project work assessment during

their teacher education, as part of standard in-service training, in a non-formal

setting in ad hoc situations, and during an internal course.

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2. Colegiul Tehnic Gheorghe Asachi Botosani form Romania

It is a Vocational School. In Romanian high schools, both in the theoretical

ones (especially dedicated to scientific matters), and in vocational ones

(technical, artistic, resources, services, military, etc.), teaching activities often

include individual or team work projects, carried out by students, under the

coordination of one or more teachers.

Project themes are chosen, by teachers or/and by students, in order to allow

further analysis to of subjects discussed during classes, to clarify and justify

some theoretical aspects through experimental or practical applications, or to

extend the specific domain to other related and inter-connected ones, which

allow an exhaustive and differential approach to initial thematic elements.

The projects are presented by students during classes, and can be evaluated

by the teacher(s) (as individual or group activity) or inter-evaluated by the

other students in the class. Assessing is usually finalised with notes, provided

to the entire team (the same note to all members), to each student in the team

(depending on work carried out within it), or it can be taken into account as

part of a final evaluation (at the end of a semester or at the end of the school

year).

In certain situations, students' individual or team work projects, can be

elaborated in order to be presented and evaluated in school or extra-curricular

contests, competitions, fairs (scientific, technical, multi-disciplinary, etc.), or as

one of the assessment tests in the professional competences certification

exam, completed with relevant certificates at the end of high school courses

(classes of the Technological domains, as well as of the Theoretical domain,

Real profile, Mathematics-Informatics specialization).

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Students' project work is subject to assessment. They are as part of the

assessment associated with the professional competences exam, specific for

all the VET high school graduates, as well as for the Mathematics-Informatics

specialization graduates.

One teacher who gives the project work assignment to the students and one

teacher possibly other than the teacher assigning the project work to the

students, or a panel of teachers, members of the contests and competitions

committees, members of the professional competences exams, other students

(inter-evaluation) or even the project team (self-evaluation) carry out the

assessment of students’ project work.

The school has criteria for assessment of projects, template or tool for

assessment of projects, and specific assessment criteria associated with

school or extra-curricular contests and competitions.

Students are aware of the standard criteria for assessment of their project

work. They have a template for presentation of project work that includes

assessment criteria which are communicated to the students by the teacher.

The standard criteria for assessment of project work is obtained from the

school management, or the criteria is created by teachers collectively, or

copied from other sources / social media, Standard national curriculum,

regulations and methodologies for local, inter-regional, national, and

international competition.

Individual students or groups of students can present project work.

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Assessment covers aspects of project such as planning, background research,

method, data collation and analysis, written presentation, oral presentation,

multimedia presentation, qualitative aspects of student's activity (addressing

the theme in an appropriate manner, using a personal perspective and critical

reflections, handling correctly the bibliographical references, solving problems

and situations based on good practise examples, proving personal effort,

originality, and imagination) and qualitative aspects of the project itself (validity

in relation to theme, purpose, objectives, and methodology, use of justified and

substantiated resources, intern consistency, logical sequences in conception

and presentation, originality in finding both theoretical and practical solutions).

Here are the local, national or international competitions for project work in

science:

a) Concursul National Interdisciplinar "InfoEducatie"/InfoEducation

Interdisciplinary National Contest (http://infoeducatie.ro/)

The contest is organised since 1993 and is dedicated to students (14-18

years, any specialization) with skills, inclinations and interests to create

educational applications of computer software, utility software, multimedia,

web pages, and robots. The contest takes place in four stages: the drive for

school, district, national and local. The national phase takes place in august in

Galaciuc camp, Vrancea County.

At each stage students present their projects, which are assessed by a

dedicated committee.

In the final stage there is also an "open" one day team competition, which

consists in making complex software on a given theme, combining designing

and programming.

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The final camp also offers communications sessions on IT and design topics,

as well as a course on using multimedia devices.

All IT means are provided by Colegiul National "Unirea"/Unirea National

College, the Tulnici Community, and Liceul "Vidra"/Vidra High school, and

awards are offered by the Ministry of Education and local or national sponsors.

The contest's Online Section is organized by "Uniunea Profesorilor de

Informatica din Romania"/Union of Romanian Informatics Teachers

(http://upir.ro/en/) and sustained by Google RISE Awards

(https://www.google.com/edu/resources/programs/google-rise-awards/)

b) Concursul National de Creativitate in Fizica si Tehnologii "Stefan

Procopiu"/Stefan Procopiu Creativity in Physiscs and Technologies National

Contest (http://www.concursul-procopiu.ro/)

The contest is dedicated to students from VI to XII grades and it is organized

by the Iasi County School Inspectorate, with the support of the Ministry of

Education, in collaboration with the Faculty of Physics (Alexandru Ioan Cuza

University, Iasi), Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications & Information

Technology, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Energetics and Applied

Informatics, and Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (Gheorghe Asachi

Technical University, Iasi), as well as Romanian Inventors Forum, Iasi.

The diplomas awarded in contest are: ARCHIMEDES-intuitive-thinking

(holistic), spirit of observation, insight; NEWTON-analytical thinking

(theoretical, scientific); COPERNIC-scientific thought flexibility; GALILEI-skills

to experience; EDISON-productivity (fluidity) scientific/technical thinking;

COANDĂ-technical skills (suitability of thought to reality); JULES VERNE-

forward-looking scientific imagination EINSTEIN-originality of scientific

thinking; REKHA-wide spectrum of scientific/technical skills.

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The Competition Sections are: Tests (individual, written); Laboratory

Techniques (experimental, individual or groups); Cooperative Groups (team

projects); Scientific Reports (research, individual or groups); Technological

(Applied) Physics (practical, individual or groups); Informatics Techniques

(scientific computer-modelling, individual or groups); Scientific Themes

Compositions (film, visual arts, literature, theatre, individual or groups);

Entrepreneurial Projects (manufacturing, services, etc.), individual or groups).

c) Concursul National "Hai in viitor!"/ "Come into the future!" National Contest

(http://cnpetrurares.ro/main.php?agora=1420556317.750248&limba=Europe/B

ucharest)

The contest is included in the Educational Activities National Calendar. It is

organized by Colegiul National "Petru Rares"/Petru Rares National College,

Piatra-Neamt, Neamt County, in partnership with the Centennial Colleges

Alliance Association, Euravia Association (Cluj-Napoca), and Colegiul Tehnic

de Transporturi/Transport Technical College, Piatra-Neamt. The contest and

all the other thematic activities included in the event are financed by Piatra-

Neamt Local Council, Neamt County Council, Ministry of Education, Kober

LTD, and RIFIL SA.

The contest is dedicated only to Romanian students, enrolled in schools and

high schools. The projects may be carried out either individually, or by teams,

coordinated by teachers, parents, etc. The projects can be scientifically based

(studies, communications, etc.) or otherwise (page plays live, software

applications, mock-ups, final products, etc.), and they must address a topic

related to the problems and opportunities it brings technical progress in future

years or solutions to one or more such problems.

d) Other scientific and technical creativity international project competitions,

with national stages in Romania, and awards granted by the Ministry of

Education and sponsors:

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- InfoMATRIX (http://www.infomatrix.ro/), organized for children between 3-18

years old, by Lumina Educational Institutions Foundation, the Ministry of

Education, and the Bucuresti Municipe School Inspectorate, with 5 sections

(Programming, Computer Art, Hardware Control, Short Movies, and Robotics),

aiming to encourage young people to apply their imagination, their passion,

and their creativity to technology innovations that can make a difference in the

world today;

- Concursul National de Sttinta si Tehnologie RoSEF/RoSEF Science and

Technology National Contest (https://www.monitorulsv.ro/Local/2014-06-

20/Concursul-National-de-Stiinta-si-Tehnologie-RoSEF-2014-sambata-la-

Iulius-Mall or http://suceavalive.ro/consursul-national-ro-sef-2014/), organized

by the Suceava County School Inspectorate and the CYGNUS Scientific

Society - UNESCO Centre, in partnership with the "Stefan cel Mare"

University, Suceava, Colegiul National "Petru Rares" Suceava/Petru Rares

National College, INTEL Romania and ForumIT Association, under the

specialized expertise of the National Commission for UNESCO in Romania, as

a national stage for the INTEL ISEF International Annual Contest (USA),

during which students present their truly unique work, striking public with their

creativity, inventiveness, and talent.

Teachers receive training in project work and project work assessment during

their teacher education, as part of standard in-service training, in a non-formal

setting in ad hoc situations, in informal learning setting organised by the

school, thematic workshops, seminar, conferences, organized at various levels

or included in European communitarian projects, and dedicated trainings for

teachers, within the frame of projects co-financed by the European Social

Fund (Operational Sector Programmes – Development of Human Resources).

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3. Colegiul National "Ecaterina Teodoroiu" from Romania

This is a vocational school. Project work is very important in many areas in the

school. Most of the teachers choose this kind of activity for their students,

guide them and afterwards make evaluations. They use computers and the

Internet for project work and some of the students are working on web

development or post their projects on different platforms. Students’ project

work is subject to assessment. It is used both as final assessment at the end

of the year and as a part of term homework.

The school has a standard form and criteria for assessment of projects.

Criteria are collectively created by teachers, according to the standard national

curriculum. Assessment covers aspects of project work such as planning,

background research, method, data collation and analysis, written

presentation, oral presentation and multimedia presentation. The teacher who

assigns the project work to the students, and a panel of other teachers, carries

out the assessment of students' project work.

Students are aware of the standards and criteria. They have a template for

presentation of project work that includes assessment criteria, which are

communicated to the students by the teacher. Individual students or groups of

students can present project work.

There are local, national or international competitions for project work in

science such as: http://www.rotopcoder.ro/ , http://www.infoarena.ro/ , and

http://www.infomatrix.ro/

Teachers receive training in project work and project work assessment during

their teacher education, in a non-formal setting in ad hoc situations, and in

informal learning settings organised by the school.

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4. ISOV Vocational Technical Anatolian High School from Turkey

This is a vocational school. Students’ project works are subject to assessment.

They are used as final assessment at the end of the year.

The school does not have a standard form and criteria for assessment of

projects. Therefore, teacher's discretion and experience is used to assess the

projects. Planning, data collation and analysis, and presentation of project

work are taken into consideration for assessment. Student project work is

assessed by the teacher who assigned it. Individual students or groups of

students can present project work

There are Science Cafes where students can share their projects.

Teachers do not receive any training in project work and project work

assessment.

5. Polo Europeo della Conoscenza- I. C. Lorenzi Fumane from Italy

This is a provider of training / in-service training for VET teachers. It provides

training in project work and project work assessment for VET teachers. The

organization offers training modules on project work assessment training to

VET teachers.

The content of the training modules that are offered to the teachers in the field

of project work assessment is available from the following links:

http://www.sevir.eu/ , www.keyttt.bg , http://keyttt.cct.bg/ ,

http://tellvit.euproject.org/, www.esimtra.eu

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6. University of Uşak, Turkey

It is a provider of training / in-service training for VET teachers. They provide

training on project work and project work assessment to VET teachers. Tools

for assessment forms the part of project work assessment training offered by

Uşak University.

While primary and secondary schooling concentrates on general skills and

knowledge development and the university sector provides broad skills and

knowledge for professional work or study. Vocational skills include technical

knowledge and broad process skills. These are called competencies; that is,

skills and knowledge applied in a work context.

The critical skills, knowledge and attitudes or competencies which individuals

need for employment have been compiled into a document for each industry

or industry sector. This is called a Training Package.

Most Training Packages comprise a set of endorsed materials and an

associated collection of support materials. The endorsed component of a

Training Package is made up of three sections. These are competency

standards, qualifications framework, and assessment guidelines.

The competency standards define the skills and knowledge required for

competent performance in the industry. Individual units of competency may be

grouped together to make up a qualification. The section within the Training

Package which shows how this is done is called the qualifications framework.

This section describes what a person has to do to get a Diploma.

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The assessment guidelines make up the third endorsed component of the

Training Package. This section sets out the industry’s preferred approach to

assessment. It includes specific advice on the qualifications needed by

assessors, the design of assessment processes and the conduct of

assessments. Many Training Packages also include support materials, which

may include assessment materials, learning strategies and professional

development materials. It is very important that assessors know which

Training Package is relevant to their industry or industry sector and that they

have a complete copy of the current version.

Assessment is the process of collecting evidence and making judgements on

whether competency has been achieved. The purpose of assessment is to

confirm that an individual can perform to the standard expected in the

workplace, as expressed in the relevant endorsed industry or enterprise

competency standards. Assessments may be carried out in the context of a

New Apprenticeship, a VET in Schools program, a nationally accredited

course, a self-directed learning program, institutional programs or a

recognition process.

Competency based assessment should not be an isolated activity. In most

cases it forms part of a pathway to employment, to a structured learning

program or to further training. It is important that it happens within a context of

work performance and learning and that skill gaps identified during the

process are seen as opportunities for further development, not failure. It is also

important that evidence collecting is viewed as a process negotiated with the

candidate, not a one-off test of knowledge that has been imposed on the

candidate. While there is no fixed approach to competency based

assessment, quality assessment processes:

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provide pathways for the candidate

actively involve the workplace in the assessment process

make competency meaningful to participants by relating the units

of competency to workplace activities, procedures and

requirements

involve the candidate, the assessor and the workplace

clearly target the evidence that the candidate needs to present

incorporate clear and efficient methods of evidence collection

have clear procedures for making the assessment decision

include efficient record keeping systems

ensure that the candidate is given clear and constructive advice

and fee

Quality assessment processes require the participation and cooperation of a

number of people, including assessors, candidates, workplace supervisors

and technical experts. Materials can help these different groups to develop a

common understanding of key aspects of the assessment process, including:

What does the assessment process involve?

What is competent performance?

What is evidence?

How is evidence gathered and evaluated?

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How can candidates contribute to the evidence gathering

process?

How can supervisors contribute to the evidence gathering

process?

How can technical experts contribute to the evidence gathering

process?

How do assessors make the assessment decision?

7. Zespol Szkol Ogolnoksztalcacych w Suchej Beskidzkiej from

Poland

This is a vocational school, which uses projects in almost all subjects. These

projects are planned for short (one week) or long periods (a few months). Also,

they are connected to the curriculum or to extracurricular activities. Sometimes

projects refer to hobbies and problems in which students are interested.

Students’ project work is subject to assessment. It is used both as final

assessment at the end of the year and as a part of term homework.

The school does not have a standard form and criteria for assessment of

projects. Therefore, teacher's discretion and experience is used to assess the

projects. Assessment covers aspects of project work such as planning,

background research, method, data collation and analysis, written

presentation, oral presentation and multimedia presentation. Assessment of

students’ project work is carried out by the teacher who assigns the project

work to the students and one other teacher. Individual students or groups of

students can present the project work.

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The students take part in competitions for projects in a wide range of issues.

Universities and other institutions, which support education and the work of

schools, offer many competitions and contests for student projects.

For example:

http://www.fais.uj.edu.pl/konkurs-eksperyment-lancuchowy

http://fizyka.us.edu.pl/index.php/pl/konkurs-fizyka-sie-liczy/125-ii-ogolnopolski-

konkurs-fizyczny-fizyka-sie-liczy

http://konkurs-chemiczny.us.edu.pl/

http://www.nowaera.pl/aktualnosci/projekt-z-klasa-strona-wejsciowa.html

Teachers receive training in project work and project work assessment in

informal learning settings organised by the school, and training organised by

other institutions.

8. Stucom SA from Spain

This is a vocational school. All vocational students have to write and present a

final piece of work / research at the end of their studies. Their project has to be

presented to an audience of experts, other vocational students, experts from

companies and sometimes families. They present their written / digital

research but they also have to do an oral presentation of their project that can

be supported by media tools.

Students’ project work is subject to assessment and forms the final

assessment at the end of the year.

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The school has a standard form and criteria for assessment of projects. The

school obtains the standard criteria for assessment of project work from

standard national curriculum. Assessment covers planning, background

research, method, data collation and analysis, written presentation, oral

presentation, multimedia presentation, creativity, innovation, and economic

viability (whether the project can be used by companies, timescale).

Assessment of students' project work is carried out by a panel of teachers.

Students are aware of the standards and criteria. The criteria are

communicated to the students by the teacher. Individual students or groups of

students can present project work.

There are local, national or international competitions for project work in

science such as:

https://www.googlesciencefair.com/es/

http://www.inicecatalunya.com/

http://agaur.gencat.net/

http://www3.gencat.net:81/joventut/catala/jornades/jornada1.htm

http://www.amctaic.org/index2.html

Teachers receive training in project work and project work assessment during

their teacher education.

9. Colegiul Tehnic "LETEA" Bacau from Romania

This is a vocational school. The school often uses project work for students at

the end of semester. Students’ project works are subject to assessment. They

are used both as final assessment at the end of the year and as a part of term

homework.

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The school does not have a standard form and criteria for assessment of

projects. Therefore, teacher's discretion and experience is used to assess the

projects. Planning, background research, method, data collation and analysis,

written presentation, oral and Multimedia presentation aspects of project work

are taken into consideration for assessment. Students’ project work is

assessed by the teacher who assigns it to the students, and a separate panel

of teachers.

Individual students or groups of students can present project work.

There are local, national or international competitions for project work in

science such as:

Comenius Project - "About Birds in English" - coordinator Zespół

Szkół Nr1 SwidnicaPolonia

Comenius Project - "The Notebook of European Trip of our

Puppet" – coordinator Miejskie Przedszkole nr 2 im. Jana

Brzechwy w Toruniu Polonia

Youth in Action - „Recognized by your Grandma” - Adana Turkey

Local project - „Nimic nu se pierde - Totul se reciclează” -

Consiliul Local al Municipiului Bacău

Teachers receive training in project work and project work assessment in a

non-formal setting and in ad hoc situations.

10. 1o EPAGGELMATIKO LYKEIO AXIOUPOLIS from Greece

This is a vocational school. Project work is used in the school:

In the curriculum first grade “Project” course, where groups of

students under the teacher’s supervision have to deliver a

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written, oral and multimedia presentation of their project work (in

a field of their choice) by the end of each semester.

In the extra-curriculum “Actions of Innovation” activities

performed voluntarily every year by teachers and students of our

school.

Integrated in laboratory courses, by giving one or more tasks to

the students, where collaboration, innovation and team work is

expected. Those tasks can range from creating an online

newspaper (Information Technology sector) to constructing a

custom-framed bike (Automotive Engineering sector).

Students’ project work is subject to assessment, and is used as final

assessment at the end of the year and as part of term homework.

The school has a standard form and criteria for assessment of projects. They

obtain it from the standard national curriculum. Planning, background

research, method, data collation and analysis, written and oral presentation

aspects of project work are assessed. The teacher who gives the project work

assignment to the students also assesses it.

Students are aware of the standards and criteria, which are communicated to

the students by teachers. Groups of students can present project work.

There are local, national or international competitions for project work in

science such as:

Eugenides Foundation: www.eugenfound.edu.gr

Students Robotics Festival: http://mfr.sch.gr/

Students Informatives Conference: http://www.math-syn-pli.gr/

Teachers receive training in project work and project work assessment as part

of standard in-service training.

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11. Istituto di Istruzione Superiore Liceo "Bocchi-Galilei" di Adria

Europolo from Italy

This is a vocational school. The use of students' project work in the school

depends on school topics and teaching.

Students’ project work is subject to assessment. It is used as a part of term

homework.

The school does not have a standard form and criteria for assessment of

projects. Therefore, teacher's discretion and experience is used to assess the

projects. Background research, and the written, oral and multimedia

presentation aspects of project work are considered for assessment. One

teacher, usually other than the teacher assigning the project work to the

students, carries out the assessment of students' project work.

Individual students can present project work.

There are no local, national or international competitions for project work in

science.

Teachers receive training in project work and project work assessment in a

non-formal setting and in ad hoc situations.

12. Norwegian University of Technology and Science

It is a provider of training / in-service training for VET teachers. They provide

training on project work to VET teachers. The three-year bachelor degree in

vocational teacher training is carried out in cooperation between NTNU and

Sør-Trøndelag University College (HiST). It was established in Trondheim in

26

2007, and both institutions will be merged together in January 2016. NTNU

undertakes teaching, supervision and evaluation of topics associated with the

professional discipline (educational sciences), while Sør-Trøndelag University

College is responsible for issues relevant to the vocational subject content.

At NTNU there is each year a portfolio exam consisting of various work

requirements, including written assignments, PowerPoint presentations and

digital stories submitted during the academic year and processed before filing

the portfolio in the spring. Presentations can for example be associated with

practice in schools or businesses, for example various work processes in the

workshop, professional characteristics, classroom training etc. Students also

have lessons on campus (e.g. micro teaching) which must be approved in

order to be allowed to take the exam. In the spring of year 3, all students

present a research and development project at a conference at the Program of

Education (R & D conference). This takes place in the auditorium with parallel

sessions and approximately 20- 40 listeners. The project is based on R & D

work students have completed in their practice placements and is part of the

work on the bachelor thesis. At Sør-Trøndelag University College, assessed

students also take more traditional school examinations (eg in mathematics for

those who will become teachers in electrical engineering and building trades,

anatomy and pathology for students in health and youth development, food

technology for students within the restaurant and food processing). They also

have oral exams and folder exams at HiST during the course and all have a

final oral examination concerning their bachelor assignment.

Three-year vocational teacher training involves a total of 12 weeks practice in

school and 12 weeks practice in business (4 + 4 each academic year). In their

practice periods they are followed closely by supervisors. Teachers from

NTNU consider whether the practice periods should be approved. This

happens through practice visits and dialogue with the students' supervisor. All

practices must be assessed as a pass before students receive their bachelor's

degree. Our students have backgrounds within: Health and youth

development, Technical and Industrial Production, Restaurant and food

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processing, Electrical technology, and

Building Trades.

Criteria for assessment makes up the part of the project work assessment

training that the organisation offers to VET teachers. A good idea of the

training content that is offered to the teachers in the field of project work

assessment can be obtained from NTNU home page.

13. Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST)

In this vocational school, students' project work is used in various contributions

at different levels. For example; project work forms part of the formative and

summative student curriculum at diploma level and projects often form part of

the final student dissertation at degree level.

Students’ project work is subject to assessment. It is used as as final

assessment at the end of the year and as part of term homework.

The school has standard form and criteria for assessment of projects. The

standard criteria for assessment of project work are obtained from the school

management. Assessment covers aspects of project work such as planning,

background research, method, data collation and analysis, and written

presentation. One teacher possibly other than the teacher assigning the

project work to the students assesses the project work.

Students are aware of the standard criteria for assessment of their project

work. The criteria are communicated to the students by the teacher. Both

individual and groups of students can present project work.

As local, national competitions for project work in science, students often

participate in the NSTF Science EXPO challenge.

28

Teachers receive training in project work and project work assessment as part

of standard in-service training.

14. Akdeniz University Vocational School of Technical Sciences

This is a vocational school under the umbrella of Akdeniz University. Better

projects are reserved for student's projects exhibition and the others are used

in students’ labs by using their components. These projects are used as final

assessment at the end of the year.

There is no standard form and criteria for assessment of projects. Teacher's

discretion and experience is used in the absence of standard forms and

criteria for assessment. Planning, written presentation, oral presentation,

degree of difficulty aspects of project work are considered for assessment.

One teacher who gives the project work assignment to the students.

Both individual and groups of students can present project work.

"1.Turgutreis Estetik, Çevresel ve İşlevsel Deniz Aracı Tasarımı Yarışması" is

a national competitions for project work in science.

Teachers do not receive any training in project work and project work

assessment.

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15. General analysis

1. Vocational schools

Out of fourteen respondents, ten are vocational schools, and four are

providers of training/in-service training for VET teachers.

In Romania, project work is very important in many areas within the school.

Most teachers choose this kind of activity for their students, guide them and

afterwards make evaluations. They use computers and the Internet for project

work, and some of the students are working for web development or to post

their projects on different platforms.

In Poland, they are doing projects with almost all subjects. These projects are

planned for short (one week) or long time (a few months). Also they are

connected to the curriculum or to extracurricular activities. Sometimes projects

refer to hobbies and the problems in which students are interested.

In Spain, all vocational students have to write and present their final work /

research at the end of their studies. Their project has to be presented to an

audience of experts, other vocational students, and experts from companies

(and sometimes families are invited). They present written / digital research

but they also have to do an oral presentation of their project that can be

supported by media tools.

In Greece, project work is used in the school in the curriculum first grade

“Project” course, where groups of students under teacher supervision have to

deliver a written, oral and multimedia presentation of their project work (in a

field of their choice) by the end of each semester. It is also used in the extra-

curricular “Actions of Innovation” activity, performed voluntarily every year by

teachers and students at the school. Moreover, project work is also integrated

in the laboratory courses by giving one or more tasks to the students, where

30

collaboration, innovation and teamwork is expected. Those tasks can range

from creating an online newspaper (Information technology sector) to

constructing a custom-framed bike (Automotive Engineering sector).

Generally, in vocational schools, students’ project work is subject to

assessment. In six vocational schools, they are used as both final

assessments at the end of the year and as a part of term homework. In four

of them, they are only used as final assessments at the end of the year.

Most of the vocational schools have a standard form or criteria for assessment

of projects. In Spain, there is a template, tool for assessment of projects, and

legal procedures. The school management and teachers created the criteria

and legal procedures collectively from standard national curriculum. In Malta,

the school management created the criteria. In Romania, criteria are created

by teachers collectively, according to the standard national curriculum. In

Greece, they also obtain the criteria from standard national curriculum. In

Turkey and Poland, the schools do not have a standard form and criteria for

assessment of projects. Therefore, teacher's discretion and experience is used

to assess the projects.

In almost all vocational schools, planning, background research, method, data

collection and analysis, written presentation, and oral presentation aspects of

project work are taken into consideration for assessment. Generally, the

teacher who gives the project work assignment to the students carries out the

assessment of students’ project work. In Spain and Romania, a panel of

teachers also carry out this process in conjunction with the responsible

teacher. In Poland, assessment is carried out jointly, by the teacher who gives

the project assignment to the students and one other teacher. In Italy,

assessment is performed by another teacher, and not the teacher assigning

the project work.

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In most cases, students can present the project work as individuals or groups.

There are various local and national activities/competitions in different

countries where students can present their project work. For example in Spain,

University of Valencia, Faculty of Economics has a competition for business

plans in VET. University of Castellón has the same competition. Moreover,

The Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR), an

instrument for service and support to individuals and institutions constituting

the Catalan academic and research system, is a national organisation about

science projects. In Poland, universities and other institutions support the

education and the work of schools, and provide competitions for student

projects. The August Chełkowski Institute of Physics, which carries out

experimental activities about condensed matter physics is such a national

organisation in Poland. In Greece, there are Students Robotics Festivals,

Students’ Informative Conferences, and the Eugenides Foundation, whose

objective is to contribute to the education of young Greeks in science and

technology, also organises competitions.

Generally, teachers receive training in project work and project assessment

during their teacher education, as part of standard in-service training, in a non-

formal setting in ad hoc situations. In Poland, they receive this training in

informal learning setting organised by the school and training organised by

other institutions. In Turkey, they do not receive this training.

Specific Aspects of Project Assessment Countries

Project work as a final assessment Turkey

Project work as a final assessment and part of term

homework

Spain, Romania,

Poland, Greece,

Italy, Malta

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Standard form and criteria Spain, Greece,

Malta

No standard form or criteria Romania, Turkey,

Poland, Italy

One teacher who gives the project work assignment

carries out the assessment

Turkey, Greece

One teacher possibly other than the teacher assigning

the project work or a panel of teachers carry out the

assessment

Spain, Romania,

Poland, Italy,

Malta

Individual students present project work Italy

Group of students present project work Greece

Both individual and group of students present project

work

Spain, Romania,

Turkey, Poland,

Malta

Local and national competitions Spain, Romania,

Turkey, Poland,

Greece, Malta

Teachers receive training Spain, Romania,

Poland, Greece,

Italy, Malta

Teachers do not receive training Turkey

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2. Providers of training / in-service training for vet teachers

Out of fourteen respondents four of them are providers of initial or in-service

training for VET teachers.

In Romania, they do not provide training on project work or project work

assessment for VET teachers.

In Turkey, Italy and Norway, the provider gives training on project work and

project work assessment to VET teachers. The organization offers training

modules on project work assessment training to VET teachers. These training

modules are organized by a number of organizations.

Specific Aspects of Project Assessment Countries

Provide training in project work and assessment for VET

teachers

Italy, Turkey,

Norway

Provide no training in project work and assessment for

VET teachers

Romania

16. Use of this document

This is not a research document and therefore should not be treated as

anything other than a panoramic view that the partnership has put together in

order to stimulate general reflection and assess the needs of the partnership.

Furthermore, this is not a standalone document. It is part of a larger document

that will showcase methods and views of creativity, viability and economic

potential of students’ projects in VET.